Silly L'cie: I Don't Tell, You Don't Tell
by Lovely Narcissist James Blanke
Summary: Hope has a crush on Lightning, but finds out about Sazh and Light's unspoken relationship. While Snow consoles him, Sazh and Light continue their subtle romantics. Now Snow x Hope chapter
1. The Public Secret

A/N: I'm not writing to Maintenance Guide/Manual for Lovely Narcissist _yet_. I have other fanfics I want to do first. Like this one. ^_^ It's another Slight fic, but focuses on Snow and Hope in this first chapter. Second chapter will be dedicated entirely to Sazh/Light.

I was originally just going to call this 'Silly L'Cie: Don't Tell, Won't Tell,' but decided on 'Silly L'cie: I Don't tell, You Don't Tell.' Just in case you were interested.

Pairings: Lightning/Sazh and (one-sided!)Lightning/Hope (You can interpret this chapter as mild Snow/Hope if you so desire, but I wrote it as them being friends. What you do with my words is your choice.)

Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy, Sazh and Light would be an official pairing, Zack never would have died and Kuja would have been nice.

This is from a weird point of view, k? So follow along. Snow's point of view with 'you' being Hope. He isn't actually talking to Hope unless it's in quotation marks. Readers are now Hope…if that's how you want to see it.

* * *

You always watched her. She was the first one you buffed up and the last one you asked for help. Crushes, huh? I've been there; it's a teenager thing.

Don't worry, I'll never tell her. Neither will you, after witnessing today's events. Guess no one told you, huh? Well, we thought everyone knew, an unspoken relationship and a public secret. We wouldn't tell them we knew and they wouldn't tell us they were.

I wonder…how did you feel when you saw that simple act, that kiss on her wounded arm? Jealousy? Anger? Betrayal? Were you just sad?

Whatever it was, it must have been strong for you to open up to me about it.

"You uh-…ok there, partner?"

"I…I'm fine…" you responded, somewhat sharply. I'm used to it, at least you've loosened up some.

"Think we'll be able to find anything besides monsters here?"

You looked at me bemusedly, entertained by my habit of changing awkward subjects abruptly with little transition. What can I say? It's a habit.

You looked serious, more so than the situation called for. "What happened?" I ask without thinking. Of course, that wasn't a smart move. Now, you're probably going to get mad and not talk to me for the rest of the night. That would be awkward, as the others won't be back until morning.

To my surprise, however, you sat up, looking at your gloved hands, pondering what to say.

"I don't think they'd appreciate it if I told you guys, but you wouldn't tell the others, right?"

"What? About Sazh and Light?"

"How did you…-"

"Kiddo, everyone knows!"

"I didn't," you retorted, looking up, seeming hurt.

"Well…it kind of like an unspoken rule. Everyone knows, but no one talks about it. They don't know that we know and they won't tell us that they are. Simple as that."

"…"

"What's wrong now?"

You look up, face a vibrant pink. "I like Lightning…"

"I know."

Panic flashes in your face. "Do the others know?"

"No, no. They think you two just have a kind of…mother/son complex. You know…after all that's happened it's kind of expected…" My guilt was showing through. Why am I so transparent?!

I feel a hand on mine. Your hand. I smile sadly at the black and white leather glove.

"I don't blame you for that anymore… I know; I was stupid. It was an accident…"

"I'm sorry that I couldn't protect your mother," I say, meeting your eyes properly for probably the first time ever. "But I will do my best to protect you."

"L'cie don't need protecting, Snow," you smile. "But you can be my friend and support me."

"I'll do my best," I tell you, nodding.

* * *

A/N(2): I'll write a third chapter where Hope and Snow get together if someone reviews. IF. Not a big fan of that pairing, so if you want it, give me some motivation. If you ask just about anything, I'll probably deliver. Except lemon. No lemons for me, thank you very much. As mentioned in the Author's Note up top, the next chapter will be on Sazh and Lightning exclusively and should be up by Friday. Probably before then.

James Blanke: out.


	2. Spells and Sleep

A/N: WAHOO! Told you, you might not have to wait until Friday. Well, enjoy Sazh and Light fluffiness. ^_^ Please not that the song Sazh sings is A). Aqualung's, not mine and B). Meant to sound different than the original. Just picture it and hear it in your head.

It starts off a bit before what Hope witnessed in the first chapter, but they didn't notice him. Also, pretend that The Rakshasa can be fought before accessing its cie'th stone mission… Like it was always there, waiting to strike…like a ninja! :D (Well…now everyone knows what I'm like on two days with no sleep…) Onward!

(Third Person Point of View)

They sat on the rocks by the waterfall as Sazh bandaged up a certain pink haired girl's arm.

"You should be more careful," he jokingly scolded the soldier, wrapping the tourniquet around her bleeding left arm. "That Rakshasa could have killed you."

Lightning smirked deviously. "Did you forget, Sazh? Nothing can kill me. I'm a trained soldier _and _a L'Cie," she said with mock-arrogance while flexing her good arm, as if to prove her point.

The former pilot let out a half exasperated, half amused laugh.

As he finished wrapping and fastening the gauze he kissed it, just in time for an overlooked onlooker to perceive.

Lightning chuckled lightly and the silver-haired witness left as quickly as he'd come.

She rested her head softly against Sazh's shoulder, smiling with closed eyes.

"We're supposed to be scouting, remember? Not that I have any objections to resting up, but I've never known you as one to disobey orders," Sazh reminded.

"That was before I left the Guardian Corp…" Light corrected through a yawn. "Besides, we already checked this place…"

"Your call, Sergeant Farron," he said with a slight laugh, running his fingers through her light, silken hair.

The ex-soldier always looked so peaceful while she slept, even the times when she awoke crying. For the most part, she was a silent crier and only Sazh knew of the tears.

She probably dreamt of the days when her parents were alive and she didn't hold the weight of Cocoon on her shoulders.

Sazh sang a soft melody, a hidden talent of his, to the girl as she slept.

'_I've been…watching your world from afar_

_I've been…trying to be where you are_

_And I've been secretly falling apart_

_Unseen_

_To me, you're strange and you're beautiful_

_You'd be so perfect with me but you just…can't see_

_You turn every head but you don't_

_See me_

_I'll put a spell on you_

_You'll fall asleep_

_Oh, I'll put a spell on you'll_

_And when I wake you_

_I'll be the first thing you see_

_And you'll realize that you love me…'_

Lightning snuggled closer to him subconsciously. "Daddy?" she asked quietly.

Sazh chuckled inaudibly. "Not even close, Light," he whispered, lying down and easing the sleeping beauty from his shoulder to his chest as he drifted off into the world of dreams with her.

A/N: Vanille and Fang are up next. Also, if I get reviews, that Snow/Hope pairing.


	3. Hidden for Now

A/N: Well, I decided to rewrite the Snow/Hope chapter for one of my reviewers, though I don't have the documents or anything back yet. I didn't want to keep .rain waiting, they seemed to look forward to it ^_^

* * *

Cocoon shined down onto Pulse with its surreal light. To Hope and Snow, it was strange to see it at such a great height from the lower world after having lived in its depths for so long.

Height or distance were somewhat of an illusion to them now. In such a new place, what was height, what was distance? Does it matter?

Scientifically, they knew approximately how far apart the two worlds were, studies, formulas, all that Pulse machinery that was on Cocoon. The worlds were so different, but part of the same world in themselves.

They were just in another piece of it. A new piece, with new rules and new creatures. No one to judge anyone. No one to blame anyone.

One could nearly compare the two shards of world to the two beings who sat watching them. Snow was big and strong, with his own type of natural, masculine beauty. Hope was small compared to the other, fragile with his unique, shimmering but delicate splendor.

The personalities of the people and places were, however, severely wrong. Yes, Snow was strong, but he was also sympathetic and caring. Hope was, of course, beautiful, but not judging of others, at least not after his ordeal.

The two watched the last of the daylight fade to darkness, hands entwined, knowing their companions would not return until well after the light of morning returned.

Hope stared up at Snow, marveling at the way Cocoon illuminated his face at just the right angle, blushing slightly as the other man looked down and caught his staring.

Snow smiled. Even if Serah came from her crystal stasis, he knew exactly where he was staying.

Their relationship was always a struggle, between all of Serah's 'mystical female emotion' freak-outs to Snow's hidden struggle with his sexuality, that she eventually figured out, everything was hard. A struggle between pleasing his childhood friend and his 'wrongly-placed' lusts.

Would you rather please your closest friend and stay unsatisfied your entire life, or have both parties move on and stay close? Because of Hope, he was able to make up his mind. Serah's ultimatum was now null; he wouldn't marry her. He wouldn't put on the mask that he and her were the 'happy couple.' Everything was rainbows and unicorns until they were alone. _'Set an example, Snow! You're a leader! Do you want to be known as the leader of NORA or the guy who came out of his closet and lost the whole group?!'_

Snow didn't want either of those things; he wanted to be remembered as himself, if he remains the leader of NORA, that's great, if not, fine, they can leave him, it just goes to show how shallow they are. He's not going to pretend to be something else just to please everyone else.

He wasn't going to be like Yuj, who put on a mask in public and snuck out of his house to meet up with Maqui. If his parents found out, he would be disowned. It almost made him happy his parents gave him up before any of this.

No, he wouldn't put on the façade and masquerade as a straight man, leader or not. Leaders aren't supposed to hide. So he could hold Hope's hand for now, and press his lips lightly to the younger's even if he wouldn't step from his act until the battle was over, he wouldn't hide it.

For now they are a secret, just like Sazh and Lightning, but it would definitely not stay that way. For now they could only kiss in private and whisper words of love alone, and for now they are a secret, but he would definitely tell everyone. Shout it to the whole of Bodhum, the whole of Cocoon if it made them happy.

Snow was not in love with Serah, Snow was not a straight man. Snow loves Hope and Hope loves Snow, if anyone dislikes them for it, they're just as fake as the fal'Cie. Just as superficial as the media they watch. Just as judgmental as Cocoon and Pulse were to each other. And none of it matters, because he finally knows who he is and he's no longer afraid of that person, no longer afraid to show that person.

_Hold on to hope, _he thought, pressing the silver haired boy to his chest as he pressed his lips to silver hair, _both the tangible and not-so-tangible types,_ he smiled.

* * *

A/N: I mean no bashing to Serah through all of this, I wasn't trying to bash on her of make her into the bad guy or anything, I think that if Snow was homosexual, she would be accepting, but that quote up there I put it like that from how I think she might react with the fear of losing Snow and worry of how other people would start to see him, but I wanted to portray her as forceful about it, if that makes sense.

Anyway, reviews make me happy, don't bother flaming if you're trying to make me sad because, believe it or not, it actually gets pretty cold here sometimes.


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